RAIN SOAKED RALLY: RU SCORES 11 TIMES IN FINAL TWO AT BATS TO DEFEAT UNCA, 12-6

BOX SCORE ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Playing in a steady rain for seven innings and trailing 5-1 heading to the eighth inning, Radford (28-19, 13-9) rallied for three runs in the eighth and eight runs in the ninth to post a 12-6 victory in the series opener Friday at UNC Asheville (13-34, 4-17). Chris Coia's two-run single in the ninth gave RU the lead for good after Shane Johnsonbaugh tied the game with a base hit.

The pair also came through in the eighth inning at the beginning of the turnaround for the Highlaners. Johnsonbaugh's pinch-hit RBI single cut the Asheville lead to 5-2, and Coia singled home the first two of his four on the night to make it 5-4. The Highlanders, however, left the bases loaded and needed one more rally in the ninth.

And they got it. Alexander Lee opened the inning with a double to left field followed by a single from Hunter Higgerson to set up runners at the corners with no outs. Johnsonbaugh knocked in his run to tie it, and Coia followed with the eventual game-winning hit. Josh Reavis and Patrick Marshall each followed with two-run base hits to push the Radford lead to 11-5. Johnsonbaugh plated the 12th run with a ground out.

Radford had five players record multi-hit games led by Marshall's three-hit night. Lee, Higgerson, Johnsonbaugh, and Coia each added a pair of hits. Reavis was the only other Highlanders to collect a hit in the 12-hit attack for RU.

Michael Costello (3-2), who threw 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, got the victory. Radford starter, Dylan Nelson, lasted just 2.0 innings and gave up five earned runs on five hits. Mitchell MacKeith kept the Highlanders within reach with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Kyle Towles led the Bulldogs at the plate with a three-hit night. Eli Miller drove in two runs for UNCA.

The two teams will play the middle game of the series Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

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